| Peter Deriashnyj | |
|---|---|
Peter Deriashnyj and his wife Nila |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Peter Fedorovich Deriashnyj (Петро Федорович Деряжний) |
| Born | July 2, 1946 Calden, Germany |
| Genres | Ukrainian folk, dumas and classical music |
| Occupations | bandurist, composer, conductor |
| Instruments | bandura |
| Notable instruments | |
| Kharkiv-style bandura | |
Peter Deriashnyj, (born 2 July 1946 in Calden, Germany) is a Ukrainian Australian bandurist, composer of secular and sacred music, and choral conductor. He specializes in the Kharkiv style of bandura playing, but also plays folk and rock guitar.
Deriashnyj grew up in Newcastle N.S.W. and moved to Sydney to further his professional career and musical education. He studied music theory, composition and voice in Sydney and later became conductor of the Hnat Khotkevych Ukrainian Bandurist Ensemble (1972–), the Boyan Ukrainian Choir (1982–1996), the Suzwittia Women's Ensemble (1986–1991), the Strathfield Orthodox Parish choir (1980–2007); and musical director and conductor of the Ivasiuk Folk Ensemble (1984–2000).[1][2]
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Kharkiv style bandurist Deriashnyj was born in Calden, Germany in 1946. He emigrated to Australia with his parents, Fedir and Maria and sister Lidia. In November 1950 they arrived in Melbourne on the passenger liner Goya initially living in migrant camps in Bonegilla and Nelson Bay before settling in Newcastle, New South Wales. After completing his education in Newcastle he moved to Sydney in 1966 to pursue studies in electrical engineering at the Sydney Institute of Technology graduating in 1972,[3] also formal musical studies in classical guitar, music theory, composition and voice.
At age 10, Deriashnyj began to learn to play the bandura from his father, a known performer on and maker of banduras Fedir Deriashnyj. At age 17 he began to study guitar. He and fellow musician, violinist and guitarist Victor Marshall formed a folk trio in Newcastle called the "Folk City Singers" firstly with Maria Pekovnic and later with alto voiced Helen Cummins from 1964 to 1966. Deriashnyj and Marshall then moved to Sydney to continue their folk singing careers and through advertising found opera trained contralto, Dorothy Window who also was experienced in folk singing. The trio worked to develop their vocal harmony, guitar and performing techniques from 1966 to 1968.
In July 1968 he began to study the Kharkiv style of bandura from Hryhory Bazhul who in the early 1930s in Ukraine had studied bandura under Hnat Khotkevych. In 1969 he wrote his first composition for the bandura "Krai Kozachiy", followed by "Zaspivayu" to the words by Taras Shevchenko, and "Slava Otamanu".[3] He also began to write arrangements of traditional songs for the Kharkiv style bandura. He gave up guitar for bandura, and in 1971 he became the artistic director of a small group of young bandurists originally formed by Hryhory Bazhul, the Hnat Khotkevych Ukrainian Bandurist Ensemble of Sydney. Under Deriashnyj's direction the group expanded in numbers and included choral vocals in their performances. Their first solo concert took place in 1969 in Wollongong, dedicated to the Ukrainian bard Taras Shevchenko. In 1971 he also formed the Sydney School of Bandura to introduce the younger generation to the art of this instrument.[4] Students of the School of Bandura were able to learn both the Kharkiv style and the Chernihiv style but since Kharkiv banduras were difficult to procure and the more plentiful Chernihiv type banduras were being brought from Ukraine, gradually more students played the Chernihiv style.(Dr. V. Mishalow – verifiable by archival photographs) The Sydney School of Bandura was the only one in Australia to teach the Kharkiv style.(Dr. V. Mishalow).[5]
From 1970 the Bandurist Ensemble toured the eastern states in Australia with concerts and performances and as a quartet performed in Perth, Hobart, Adelaide, Melbourne and Geelong. In 1978 the quartet recorded an LP entitled Bandura and Song. The members of the quartet were Neonila Babchenko-Deriashnyj (soprano), Lidia Deriashnyj-Beal (alto) and Peter Chochula (bass).[3][5]
Early in 1982 he joined the Boyan Choral Society of Sydney. In November he became assistant conductor. In January 1983 the artistic director Vasyl Matiash fell ill and the choir became Deriashny's responsibility.
Under his direction it performed at the annual Ukrainian Independence Day celebration. In 1984 and 1985 Deriashnyj travelled overseas to study choral conducting in Edmonton, Canada under maestro Wolodymyr Kolesnyk and Zenon Lawryshyn. On his return from Canada he founded a youth choir called the Ivasiuk Folk Ensemble.
By 1986 Deriashnyj became a significant cultural figure within the Ukrainian Diaspora in Sydney, as the artistic director of the Ukrainian Bandurist Ensemble, the Ivasiuk Folk Ensemble, the Boyan National Choir and the Suzwittia Women's Ensemble. He also conducted the church choir of the parish of the Holy Intercession in Strathfield, simultaneously.[6]
Deriashnyj studied music theory, composition and the voice privately, under Daisy Hooker. Based on the aptitudes and experience gained as an altar boy, where he was exposed to sacred choral music of the Ukrainian Orthodox church, he acquired a love for Byzantine style "a cappella" choral singing and turned his skills to composing sacred works. His first composition "Christ is risen" (1981) was followed by "Bless the Lord, o my soul" (1983) Psalm 103, the first antiphon of the Orthodox liturgy. (Latter composition reviewed by composer Serhij Eremenko, Canada, August 1984. In 1984, Deriashnyj prepared a concert in memory of Ukrainian songwriter Volodymyr Ivasyuk who lost his life in suspicious circumstances. A standing ovation from the audience for what was a "moving concert" (quote A. Myrozhnik) confirmed it's appeal and the participants embarked on forming a new vocal ensemble in Sydney N.S.W.[7] In 1985 he directed the Ivasiuk Folk Ensemble in rehearsals for a commemorative recording of Ivasiuk's compositions, which were adapted to a choral style performance with orchestral accompaniment.
After two years work, the combined Hnat Khotkevych Ukrainian Bandurist Ensemble of Sydney and the Ivasiuk Folk Ensemble gave concerts in Sydney and Melbourne where Deriashnyj's concept of choral-choreographic "montages" with pastoral themes (Harvest, Spring, Karpathia, Christmas, Vechornitsi) from Ukrainian village life were featured. The montages became their "signature" in performances at the annual Shell National Folkloric Festivals held in the Sydney Opera House (1978–1990) and Ukrainian community venues.
In 1988 the ensembles and choirs under his direction celebrated the Millenium of Christianity in Ukraine with concert performances in Brisbane, Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, and Canberra.[6] In 1992, he took leave of absence from these performing groups in order to concentrate on improving his Kharkiv style bandura technique and composition. In 1996 he again returned to direct the Ivasiuk Folk Ensemble working with this ensemble until 2000. He continued to direct at the parish of the Holy Intercession until 2007.
From 2000, he and wife Neonila performed as a duet throughout Australia. In 2008 they were invited to Ukraine by the Kobzar's Fraternity to perform in the "Ukraina Palace of Culture" in commemoration of Ukrainian Independence and 5th anniversary of the founding of the Kobzar's Union.(7 November 2008) The performance was followed by a tour of Ukraine to demonstrate their Kharkiv style bandura to the Ukrainian bandurist fraternity. In Rivne they were presented with an award for their contribution to the development of the Kobzar artistry in the diaspora (15, 16 November 2008).
In 2010, during the visit to Australia of His Eminence Dimitri, Metropolitan of Lviv and Sokal, they sang the high mass (arhiyereyska) in Brisbane and Newcastle Orthodox parishes. At the Divine Liturgy in Newcastle they were awarded a patriarchal citation for service to the Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian people by the Metropolitan on behalf of the His Holiness Filaret Patriarch of Kiev and all of Rus-Ukraine.[8]
In 2010 they travelled to Canada to conduct and sing for the first Divine Liturgy for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyivan Patriarchate, in the Parish of St. Peter and Paul in New Westminster and to perform in Canada's National Ukrainian Festival at Dauphin, Manitoba, and in the Kiev Pavilion at the Folklorama Festival in Winnipeg.[8]
Almost all of Deriashnyj's repertoire for the Kharkiv style bandura was arranged by him. Apart from Ukrainian folk songs, he has also adapted and arranged several contemporary folk songs by singer song writers: Bob Dylan, John Denver, Gary Shearston and John Williamson.
The first four students of the Sydney School for Bandura were taught initially by Hryhory Bazhul privately at his residence. As students developed technique and repertoire they performed in the School Ensemble and later were incorporated into the Khotkevych Ensemble as well. Notable students include Victor Mishalow – Kiev/Chernihiv style.